


Language

by Kira_K



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Bilingual Character(s), Character Development, Cross-Generational Friendship, Gen, German, Other characters mentioned - Freeform, Post-Movie(s), X-Men: Apocalypse Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-24
Updated: 2016-05-24
Packaged: 2018-06-10 12:45:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6956968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kira_K/pseuds/Kira_K
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurt and Erik bond over the English and German languages.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Language

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for uranchan for the quick beta & help.

“Verdammt,” Kurt curses when his tail is grabbed just as he pops into existence behind Scott and is sent flying by Mystique’s toss. Kurt teleports and rolls out of the way of the plasma bolt that scorches the floor just moments later. He uses his powers and appears-and-disappears in a zig-zagging line that brings him close to Mystique while dodging the bolts of red once more and he is near exhaustion but he only needs to be a distraction for a few more moments - then Beast slams into Mystique from the side and Quicksilver swipes Scott’s legs out and glasses off, and there is only Jean against them before Ororo zaps her almost gently and there is nobody else standing from the opposing team. They won! 

Kurt sprawls out on the floor after the lights come back and pants. 

“We were awesome,” Scott says after putting on his regular glasses and offering a hand for Kurt to help him up. The oddest thing is, Scott doesn’t mind being on the losing team as long as his friends are the ones who kick his ass. “You were awesome, Kurt,” he adds and grins, sharp and almost happy. There are days when Scott is quiet and snaps at the people who come too near; days when only the Professor or Jean can reach him; days when even them are helpless. But there are days when he is full of energy and eagerness and today seems like a good day. 

So they take off in one of the cars to celebrate their awesomeness with a movie and ice-cream. 

Later, Kurt sits in the library and tries to looks up the names of the flavours he didn’t recognize and the few odd sentences he wasn’t quite sure of but didn’t want to to ask. English is hard but it is the language of the school and country he is in and Kurt tries his hardest to fit in. He cannot be pale-skinned and blond, but he can learn English. (Whenever there is a mistake in his essays the Professor is kind enough to scribble some kind of explanation of why it was wrong, helping Kurt out without bringing real attention to the problem. Kurt is grateful for this but sometimes he wouldn’t mind some real help.)

It is near midnight when he is startled by some noise and his flailing knocks the dictionary off the table. Kurt winces as the book hits the floor and can’t help the words escaping, blinking against the sudden light as somebody hits the switch. “Scheisse!” 

“Language,” comes a quiet reprimand and Kurt’s eyes adjusted enough to recognize Erik Lehnsherr. 

“Sorry, sir,” he says and offers a smile. “I was… dozing?” He isn’t quite sure if that is the proper word but it feels like that. 

Erik snorts, closes the door and comes to sit next to Kurt. He bends down to pick up the book and frowns at the title. 

Kurt stays quiet and watches him. He isn’t afraid of Erik. He isn’t afraid of anybody in the school, or, if he is honest with himself, anybody outside of it. (God won’t ask more from him than he can give, he is sure of it. And God will provide when nothing else will; or else why did Apocalypse’s acolytes change their minds when everything seemed lost?)

“It had been a while since I spoke German,” Erik muses aloud before switching to the aforementioned language. His accent is of the Eastern side, maybe with a hint of something that Kurt thinks might be Polish but isn’t sure. “Do you need help with any of this?”

“Sometimes,” Kurt admits and points at his hastily scrawled notes. “I understand the words but what does this mean?” 

Erik sounds out the English saying before finding its German equivalent. Kurt blinks and grins because that makes so much sense! 

“Danke,” he adds and yawns because he is still exhausted despite nodding off on his books.

“Go to sleep, Kurt,” Erik replies and ruffles his hair like the Father used to back when Kurt was small. It uncurls something warm in Kurt. “And write your next papers in German as well as in English. It would make good practice.”

“But the Professor doesn’t read German,” Kurt protests though he knows he will do the dual-language essays. It won’t be that different from what he does now but it will still take more time to finish.

“I do. And while I don’t plan to stick around too long, I will be here for a couple of weeks at least.”

Kurt nods both in agreement and understanding. “Gute Nacht, Herr Lenhsherr,” he adds and there is pleasure in seeing Erik’s horrified face as he realizes he became a teacher with just a few sentences. But he still utters a response and Kurt pops into his room and collapses on his bed to its faint echo. 

 

~end~

**Author's Note:**

> Translations: 
> 
> Verdammt - Damn  
> Scheisse - Shit  
> Danke - Thanks  
> Gute Nacht, Herr Lenhsherr - Good night, Mr. Lenhsherr
> 
>  
> 
> Comments, Kudos make my day. <3


End file.
